Working It Out at Work

You have a typical desk job where you are sitting for more than five hours a day.

You feel lazy and sluggish all day.

You feel like you never have time to exercise.

You feel like you are gaining more and more weight because of your job (there’s always a cake occasion).

All you want to do is snack when you are at your desk.

If you answered yes to one or more of the following questions, you may feel like your job is making you fat and are probably making excuses about why you cannot exercise every day. Today is the perfect day to stop the excuses and get moving. There are plenty of ways you can sneak in some activity each day, even if it is just for five minutes. You can easily turn your workday into a workout with these five simple tips:

Turn your lunch break into a walk break: Many of us buy our lunch out and proceed to eat in front of our computers, which leaves no time for walking. Tomorrow, try packing a healthy lunch so you can spend most of your break time walking around outside. Some fresh air can do us all a little good and you can save some money while you are at it! You can burn an extra 200-300 calories just from a 30 minute walk! Too cold out? Find the nearest gym and squeeze in a quick 30 minutes on the elliptical.

Find a workout buddy at work: Your coworkers want to get pizza delivered so you probably get in on it too, right? You don’t want to be the odd (healthy) one out. What if your coworker suggested a walk outside instead of pizza? Not only are you getting in extra exercise, you are forming close relationships with your coworkers and may even get to hear some juicy office gossip.

Take the stairs: This one may seem obvious but I will even admit that the elevator seems much more desirable in the morning rather than five flights of stairs in heels! Imagine how many extra calories (and how much tighter your butt could be) if you walked up five flights of stairs, twice a day! I should follow my own advice.

Take advantage of the, ahem, restroom: The restroom is a nice private space that can, and should be used for more than just . . . you know. Try 20 squats, 20 lunges, and 20 leg lifts. You will have nice thighs in no time.

Take mini breaks throughout the day: Instead of shooting your coworker across the office an email, why not walk over and talk to her in person? Instead of sitting at your desk typing on your iPhone, you could be pacing back and forth around the office to burn some extra calories. Make a promise to yourself to double the amount of times you walk to the water cooler. We all need more H20 in our bodies.

Don’t let your job be your excuse for gaining those 10 extra pounds. I’ve heard one too many times, “It is not my fault! I sit at a desk all day and have no time to exercise!” Squeeze a walk in during lunch with your new workout buddy, do some squats in the bathroom, walk to the water machine every hour and don’t forget your usual hour long sweat session at the gym before or after work! You will be the fittest one in the office, not to mention the most energized and focused. It was actually proven that people who exercise at work are happier, suffer less stress, and are more productive. Now stop reading this and take a walk!

What are your tips for staying active at work?

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Melissa Engel writes the health and wellness blog Missy Maintains, where she posts New York City-based fitness class and restaurant reviews, and shares her adventures in maintaining happiness and health in a big city. She is also a certified intenSati leader, holistic health coach, and full-time hair model recruiter at Bumble and bumble.